THE ARCTIC FOX 55 



Arctic Expedition of 1878) still exhibits some lemon 

 yellow about the head. In April and May, according 

 to Steller, the foxes begin to shed their long fur ; so 

 that by midsummer they are waistcoated, as it were, 

 in the underlying wool. 



Widely distributed throughout the Polar regions, 

 the present species is a partial migrant, living in 

 summer high up among the stony d&bris on the 

 mountain side, and in winter descending to range 

 the seashore. The Arctic fox is an expert climber ; 

 daring and surefooted, it pillages the cliffs, causing 

 great destruction of seafowl and their eggs ; while 

 well-worn fox paths may be seen on the banks 

 of the salmon streams. This fox pounces on the 

 lemmings curious rat-like little rodents as they 

 pop out of their holes to feed some eight hundred 

 feet up in the snow and mist ; in the dismal Polar 

 night it sneaks after the white bears to devour their 

 leavings. Ptarmigan and hares inland, carrion, 

 shellfish, and crustaceans on the seashore, contribute 

 to the bill of fare ; small fish are attracted by the 

 fox dabbling its tail in the water, and promptly 

 secured. In the winter the unbroken ice allows 

 the animals to wander to the islands off the 

 coast, and sometimes, breaking up suddenly, carries 

 the unfortunate beasts off to sea. In hard winters 

 numbers of razorbills, searching vainly for water, 

 fall down upon the ice and are devoured by the 

 foxes. 



